Ball-bearing knuckle for automobile front axles.



l. WEBB F. M. COLLINS.

BALL BEARING KNUCKLE FOR AUIUMOBLE FRONT AXLES. Arme/mon mtu 0421.25. |916.

1 ,267;1 50. Patented May 2l, 1918.4

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. WEBB F. M. COLLINS.

BALL'BEARING KNUCKLE FOR AUYOMUBILE lFROM AXLES. Armcmou FILED ocr. 25. ma.

1,267, 150. Patented May 2l, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. :UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES AND FONZO K. GOLLINB, 0F OAI? VERDE, ARIZONA.

BALL-BEARING KIUCKLE FOR AUTOMOBILE I'BQNT AILES.

To all 'whom time concern.'

Be it known t at we, Jamas 'WEBB and Fonzo M. COLLINS, citizens of the United States, residing at' Cam Verde, in the county of Yavapai and tate of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Ball-Bearing Knuckles for Automobile Front Axles; and we vdoyhereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertans to make and use the same.

This invention relates to ball bearin knuckles for an automobile front axle, an has for its primary object the provision of means whereby the axle may be rotated about a horizontal axis and capable of beingl swung about a vertical axis to turn the front wheel so that the automobile may be readily stelered and propelled through the front ax e.

Another object of this invention is to provide a housi having sectional cuffs pivoted thereto in which are journaled socket members having the front wheels secured thereto `whereby the cuffs may be swung about a vertical axis by the steering mechanism to turn the wheels.

A further object of this invention is to provide an axle journal in the housing havlng spheres formed on the ends thereof and located in the socket members and having grooves thereinv to coperate with the grooves in the socket members to receive ball bearings to establish connect'on between the spheres and socket member so that the socket members will be compelled to rotate with the axle and be free to swing about the vertical axis.

A still further ob'ect of this invention is the provision of ball bearing knuckles for automobile axles of the above stated character which will be sim le, durable, and elhcient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively small cost.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, in which: 4

Figure is a plan view of ball bearing lpeoication of Letters intent. Patented May 21, 1918, Application led October i5, 1816. Serial lo. 187,880.

knuckles for automobile front axles, constructed in accordance with our invention,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is an enlar ed sectional view taken on theline 3--3 of Fi 2,

Fig. 4 is a lan view upon an enlarged scale of one ofP the socket members looking in the direction of the inner face thereof,

Fig. 5 is a similar view lookin in the direction of the outer face thereof, illustrating the sockets and grooves formed in the wall thereof,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of said socket member,

Fi 7 is a plan view of the outer socket memer looking in the direction of the inner face thereof,

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View of the outer socket member, and

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view ,of a sleeve ooperating with the inner socket member.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a housin having pairs of relativel spaced arms 2 ormed on each end thereo in which are ivoted sectional cuffs 3. The sectional cu s 3 are secured together by bolts 4 and have oppositely disposed lugs 5 formed thereon which extend through apertures in the arms 2. The lugs 5 are each screw threaded to receive nuts 6 for retaining the lugs within the apertures of the arms 2. Rearwardl extending arms 7 are formed u on the cu s 3 and are connected together y a connecting rod 8, which is connected to the steering mechanism of the automobile in the usual manner whereby the cuils 3 may be swung about a vertical axis.

Journaled within the cuffs 3 are inner and outer socket members 9, and 10 respectively. The socket members 10 have formed upon their outer ends flanges 11. The outer faces of the outer socket members 10 have formed thereon spindles 12 to which are keyed wheels 13. The .Wheels 13 are further held upon the spindles 12 by nuts 14. The inner socket members 9 have ianges 17 formed 'upon their inner faces which engage the inner faces of the cuffs 3. Bolts 15 extend through lo enings 15 in the socket members 9 and 10 or retaining said socket members in tight enga ment with each other and within the cu s3. 'The socket members 9 have ins 17 formed thereon which extend into e socket members 10 to further establsh a connection between the socket members 9 and 10. The socket members 9 and 10 have formed within the walls thereof grooves 18 and 19, which grooves re 'ster when the socket members 9 and 1 are secured to are provided with openings 20 within their inner facesvto allow the ends of an axle 2 to enter therein. The axle 21 is journal within the housing 1 upon bearings 22. Spheres 23 are formed u on the ends of the axle 21 and located within the socket members 9 and 10 and are provided with grooves to coperate with the grooves 18 and 19 and sl 24 to establish a receiving ball bearin connection between t e socket members 9 and 10 and the spheres 23 whereby the socket members 9 and 10 are compelled to rotate within the cuil's 3 u on the rotation of the axle 21 but are capa le of swinging about a vertical axis owing to the connection established between the s heres and the socket members 9 and 10. leeves 25 are secured within the ends of the housing 1 and reject therefrom and have substantially Elmnelshaped flanges 26 formed thereon which are received in grooves 27 formed upon the inner faces of the socket members 9 to prevent dirt and other foreign matter from entering the socket members 9 and 10 and which allow the socket members to rotate about a horizontal axis as well as to swing about a vertical axis. i

In operation, the axle 21 is connected to the motor power 'of the automobile in any desired manner so as to be rotated therefrom. As the axle 21 is rotated, the socket members 9 and 10 are rotated within the cus 3 which rotate the wheels 13. By operating the steeringV mechanism, not shown, right or left, the cuis 3 will be swung about a vertical axis which turns the socket members 9 and 10 about a vertical axis thus turning the wheels 3 in a corresponding direction.'

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A knuckle for automobiles comprising one of said members havingl gether. The socket members 9 bers,

A cated in said companion socket members and recesses in its inner end, lugs formed on t e inner end of the other member and fitting in said recesses to prevent relative movement of said memboltstonnecting said members, annular iianges formed on the outer ends of said members, a cuil journaled on said members between said flanges, nectin the cuil to an axle housing, an axle exten g in one of said members, a sphere formed on said axle and located in said members, and means operatively connecting the sphere to said members. t i v 2. A knuckle for `automobiles comprising a pair of companion socket members, means connecting said members together, a cuff journaled on said members, an axle housing to which said cuil' is pivoted, one of said members having an opening in its outer end communicatin with the socket thereof, an axle journals in said housing and extending through the opening of said member,

a pair of said members having communicating grooves in the walls of their sockets, a s here formed on said axle and located within said members andhaving grooves in registration with said grooves of the members, and balls loooves. t

3. A knuck e for automobilesv comprising a pair of companion socket members,means connectin said members, a cuil journaled on rs, an axle housing to which said cuil` is pivoted, an axle journaled in said extending into said members, n sphere formed on sai said members, means establishing an opera tive connection between said sphere and said members, one of said members having .a groove formed in its outer end, a sleeve in said housing, a substantially spherical {iange formed upon said sleeve and received within said groove to establish a dust-proof connection between the housing and the meinbers and also aiding in holding the members against relative movement in relation to the housing.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES WEBB. FONZO M. COLLINS. Witnesses:

C C. Ram,

WM. Bacon. 

